April 11 Buzz: Losers emerge as personal finance goes awry

There's no tax break on contributions. But from that point on, taxes simply vanish. As long as the account is at least 5 years old, there is no tax on any withdrawals made after age 59 1/2. There's no requirement that you make a minimum withdrawal — after age 70 1/2, or ever.

All of which makes Roths a perfect "fiscal Frankenstein." In return for little more than ordinary upfront taxes, Congress waived untold billions in future Treasury receipts. Then, too, Roths could be a drag on the U.S. economy. Since no withdrawals are required, assets can lie idle indefinitely.

The bottom line: Roths are good for individual holders, but terrible for America.

So the scare tactics begin. We need to adjust Medicaid and Medicare to preserve them and ensure their viability. This is how protect the elderly. Pretending there is no problem is no solution. If Rep. Ryan's plan is adopted maybe Medicare will become a program I can depend on and more than just a drain on my paycheck.

-- MichaelGOP

An interesting discussion continues here, with some readers suggesting the federal spending cuts they'd make if they were in charge.